Monday, February 02, 2009

The Failed Coup, Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela

4 de febrero 1992

Chavez has declared the second of February as a national holiday commemorating his 10 years as leader of this Revolucion Bolivariana. I am not celebrating, but I do have memories of that day his coup failed. (4F)

17 years ago, I was awakened by the phone ringing. We were told to cancel our trip to Maracaibo as there was military coup underway. We spent the morning listening to the news. The footage of the dead soldiers tore at my mother's heart. They were boys. Most had been deceived and told that they were defending the constitution, it wasn't until there that they realized THEY were the coupsters.

We heard a loud sonic boom and ran outside! And then another! It was the military jets chasing Broncos. They bombed the airport. You could feel the earth shake. A friend of ours called . He had served in Vietnam and was here visiting family. He said, "I know what that was! They are using carpet bombing. I remember how it felt in Vietnam."

We saw shadows, then heard the jets. Somehow, it felt safer outside. We took our 3 small children at the time and sat out in the yard. We saw a Bronco hit, and the pilot parachute out.Joshua was a little boy at the time. I remember the male excitement in his eyes and voice as he said, "Mommy, one day can I do that?"My heart stopped in my throat...he didn't know what was happening it just looked and sounded exciting, but I knew my boy would one day be a man. Would he need to fight for his country?

I remember it all so well because it was the day before my birthday and we couldn't celebrate but had to stay home. I remember thinking what cowards they were to have attacked the residency where the presidents grandchildren were at the time. I remember the face of the Lt. Col. as he was taken prisoner.

15 comments:

Oh, you were in Barquisimeto... it sounds very much as here in Caracas.

At the time I lived in suburbia and didn't hear the planes or bombs. (some.. and very far away). My mom and brother live in east Caracas, very close to a place they bombarded. Her apartment has large (huge) windows all over... they were terrified. The only place they felt safe was the bedroom's corridor; each time there was a bomb, they ran to the corridor and laid on the floor.

An OV-10 against a jet would not work out too well for the Bronco pilot. If it's the same aircraft we are talking about, I remember seeing them in North Carolina a good bit as there was a squadron based at MCAS New River.

JM, i lived in Caurimare, right on top of the hill looking out on the military airport of La Carlota.I first heard constant sirens for about an hour.Then canon fire.My children were asleep so I ran quickly to the guard station at the entrance of our neighborhood, and as I approached, I heard( coming from the guard's radio):"they are taking Miraflores"I will never forget the terror.Later our neighborhood featured nightly searches, and sometimes when I looked out my bedroom window, there was an army tank rolling down the street, often with the cannon pointing our way.

The man is possessed and we can only hope his days are numbered. Sometimes, I get a very horrific feeling that Obama may turn out the same way. There was a report about a week ago that Obama was trying to get the military to do away with having soldiers take the oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States and instead take an oath to defend and protect the President of the U.S.

So far, new reports say that that is just a rumor. But I am keeping my eyes and ears open.

Chavez has practically gotten into bed with Iran and Islamists, and that alone makes him dangerous. Obama also seems to want to get cozy with Iran also, so people better stay alert.

Firepig, I remember the curfew and the Tank patrols, as we called them. They would roll right past our house. I always put mattresses up against the window, like that would stop a shell from getting us! Foolish, I know, but one does whatever one can to feel safer, you know?